Allison Burchett called 'cruel, self-centered' by her cyber-attack victim

Allison Burchett has been offered two plea deals and has a week to decide if she will accept one of those deals or go to trial.
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Allison Burchett, left, accepted a plea deal in the cyber harassment case filed against her during her hearing in Knox County Criminal Court on Thursday, May 25, 2017.(Photo: BRIANNA PACIORKA/NEWS SENTINEL)Buy Photo

She will serve no jail time. Instead, she will spend four years on probation. She is not barred from the internet but must give her probation officer access to her social media accounts and stay away from victim Nicole Strickland.

Controversial deal and hearing

The deal has been mired in controversy, with Nicole Strickland objecting to the proposal and crying foul over her treatment by the Knox County District Attorney’s office. USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee confirmed this week that District Attorney General Charme Allen extended the plea offer despite the fact that Burchett is now under investigation for another hacking that occurred while she was on bond and involved two potential witnesses in the cyber harassment case.

Senior Judge Don R. Ash serves as a special job under the auspices of the Tennessee Supreme Court(Photo: Submitted)

That law states, “The sentencing judge shall solicit and consider a victim impact statement prior to sentencing a convicted offender who has caused physical, emotional or financial harm to a victim.”

Assistant District Attorney General Bill Bright objected on Nicole Strickland’s behalf. Ash still refused to allow her to read the statement. Instead, he read it aloud.

Ash also threatened to jail Nicole Strickland’s brother, who yelled out to Burchett as Ash was preparing to leave the bench, “Where’s your boyfriend?” It was a reference to Michael Strickland.

“We don’t need to speak out in court,” Ash said. “If you do that, I’ll put you in jail for 10 days. Tell me why I shouldn’t do that.”

He ultimately “suspended” jail time.

Victim: Attack came as she was 'fighting for my life'

Nicole Strickland, who has undergone 14 surgeries, including a double mastectomy as part of her cancer treatment, said in her statement that the cyberattack in 2014 — combined with other acts she says Burchett and her estranged husband have committed against her, including the placement of a tracking device on her car — led to a dramatic loss in weight and, at times, made her think she was “crazy.”

“Allison and Michael continued their actions all while they knew that I had cancer and was fighting for my life,” she wrote. “They even convinced others I never had breast cancer and my oldest son still believes that lie to this day. What kind of person does that?”

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Michael Strickland, center, and Nate Evans, second from left, Stickland's attorney, arrive at Bandit Lites, the scene of a law enforcement raid in Knoxville on Thursday, May 14, 2015.(Photo: File/Adam Lau/News Sentinel)

According to the factual basis and victim's impact statement, among the attacks on Nicole Strickland of which Burchett was accused were stealing embarrassing photos of Nicole Strickland and posting them publicly, causing her electricity to be shut off, ordering pornography channels on her cable account, perusing her prescription history, accessing her bank accounts and her credit reports, and taking control of her email and Facebook accounts.

The six counts to which Burchett pleaded involved accessing her victim’s bank and Walgreen’s accounts, making copies of private information, and accessing and manipulating her Facebook account.

Burchett said little during the hearing, answering “yes” when asked if she understood the plea deal and accepted it.

Burchett's attorney: 'There's more to this story'

Her attorney, Robert A. Peal, insisted after the hearing that Burchett opted to plead guilty because “she felt (that) was in the best interest of her family and of her.” He noted the Stricklands’ divorce battle has been contentious — Nicole Strickland was forced to move out of the couple’s home and Burchett later moved in — and that Nicole Strickland is now suing Burchett and her beau over the cyberattack.

When asked why Burchett committed the crimes to which she confessed Thursday, Peal said, “That’s one of those things you’re just going to have to wait and see our answer in the civil case if we get there.”

Nicole Strickland described the toll the attack has taken on both her physical and mental health.

“As a result of the sudden and drastic weight loss, I suffered nerve problems in my legs, arms and feet,” she wrote. “To this day, I still have the sensation of needles pricking my toes and have difficulty walking because of the atrophy of the muscles in my legs. My legs and arms are so thin and lacking in muscle tone, I am embarrassed to wear anything but long sleeves, and I can no longer comfortably wear a dress or shorts.”

She said she’s grown increasingly isolated, embarrassed to attend public and school functions for her younger son, who lives with her, and remains fearful of what Burchett might do next.

“I believe that Allison Burchett is a cruel, self-centered and dangerous person,” she wrote. “I believe that she lacks the moral compass necessary to monitor her own behavior.”

DA defends deal

Allen defended the plea deal in her first public comments since USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee revealed its terms in April. She said Burchett’s defense team, which includes Knoxville attorney David Eldridge, provided proof “actually exonerating” Burchett of the most serious felony charge of crafting a document to impact the divorce case.

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Newly elected Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen met with local attorneys to inform them of changes in her department at the City-County Building on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014.(Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel)

That meant, she said, Burchett only faced a penalty range of two to four years on the remaining six felony counts and would have been eligible for both probation and minimum sentencing if convicted at trial.

The deal Allen offered locked in the maximum four-year probationary sentence. Allen initially said she feared Burchett would have been granted diversion, a special program that allows first-time offenders to have their records wiped clean, as justification for the deal. But she later conceded she had agreed to allow Burchett to apply for diversion under one of two plea options Allen offered.

Burchett rejected the option that included four felony convictions for which she could seek diversion to have her slate wiped clean at the end of her probationary term. Instead, she took the second option — six misdemeanor convictions that will remain on her record.

Burchett took up residence with Michael Strickland soon after splitting with her ex-husband, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. The Stricklands remain married, with a 2010 divorce action ongoing amid issues over child custody and a prenuptial agreement.